Scavenging
Definition Scavenging is the act of searching abandoned areas for food, weapons and ammunition, or other necessities. This is possibly the least hazardous of the three primary ways of gathering supplies, others being Raiding and Looting. Tools of Scavengers Although there are some items that survivors should carry on them at all times when outside their safe zones (weapons, ammo, etc.), there are a few things that scavengers should make absolutely sure they have. Bags Bags are a crucial, and often overlooked, tool of a successful scavenger. Bags are necessary for a scavenger to allow them to bring back more than a few handfuls of supplies, and what separates a scavenger from a scout. Duffel bags and large backpacks are ideal because they hold a lot and are easy to carry. But in a pinch, any bag can be utilized. If reduced to using plastic shopping or garbage bags be sure to double them up to improve durability, and tie the handles once the bags are full. Light Sources We often take electric light for granted, and forget how dark the inside of a building can be without it. During daytime, in buildings with large windows, the sun provides little light. Naturally, a successful scavenger would do well to provide his or her own light. Flashlights are the best choice for scavengers, since they were designed to search for things in the dark, but lanterns are useful in the sense that they can light up an entire room. Headlamps can keep your hands free, but are not as easily pointed. They also pinpoint your head to anyone who care to aim a firearm at you. Vehicles When trying to gather a large amount of supplies from a potentially high-yield place, a vehicle is a blessing to scavengers. It saves you the trouble of carrying the loot back to the base and allows you to make multiple trips into the building. If unforeseen event occur, a vehicle can provide a quick getaway. Pathway Markers The simple act of leaving a glow stick at every corner or drawing chalk arrows that point to the exit can save your life if you need to get out fast. Bear in mind, however, that marking your path lets others know where you are, which may or may not be in your best interest. Markers can serve other purposes as well. For instance, using duct tape or spray paint to draw an "/" over doors of rooms and buildings as you enter and as you leave. Places already looted can be identified, sparing future scavengers the wasted effort of a fruitless search. Choose your pathway markers based on the mission. If you're looting a dark office building, use symbols that show up in the dark, like reflective tape or glow sticks. If you're searching an outdoor mall, colorful chalk or paint may be a better option. Make sure your entire group knows what symbols and markers you're going to be using before the mission - it could save lives. Breaking/Entering Tools Tools that can be used to gain access to locked areas or items include: *Bolt cutters - In some zombie apocalypses store owners might put a chain with a padlock on a door thinking that this will keep looters out, this is true because it has stopped you and you need somthing to cut through. That's where bolt cutters come in, because in just 1 "clamp" the chain or the padlock will be cut and simply fall to the ground, letting you enter. *Crowbar - Crowbars are used to open door and crates, break windows and of course kill zombies. Its a good tool, a good weapon and dosn't make alot of noise. It's perfect for breaking and entering and you should get your hands on one as soon as you can. *Cutting torch - A cutting torch, is used to cut through metal using fuel gasses and oxygen. *Explosive - This is not a good idea but if you are really desperate for food or other supplies and there's rubble or a heavy locked door in your way and there are no other options then a few good C4 chargers or other high explosives should do the trick. But of cause this makes alot of noise and the undead will be ontop of you within minutes by the handfull. *Firearm - A firearm should be close at hand as a last option in case you walked right in to a horde and get yourself trapped and you need a way out quickly. 1st off don't try shooting your way out thats just wasting good anmo instead try to find an exit and if you really need to use your firearm to keep the zombies away from you. Also in some cases you might come across a door that has a padlock on it, so you could try shooting it but remember 3 very important things. **1. Shooting a lock will make alot of noise and bring more zombies to you. **2. In some cases if you miss the lock and shoot the door you could end up with the bullet bouncing off the door and into your foot or leg which will be very painful. **3. Depending on the weapon's caliber and the tool's sturdiness, the padlock can resist. Be sure about what you're doing before shooting a loud weapon. *Lock pick set - With luck somone on you team might be gifted with the skill to lock pick certain doors. *Spare Keys - Most homes and shops will locked and the owners will have taken the keys with them to wherever they went but some poeple might think this end of the world thing will be over soon and they be home in no time. If people did think that then they might have thought that if they lost their keys then that would be a pain in the ass, so with luck they left spare keys in a easy to reach spot like: *-If its a shop/store the spare keys are most likely in the manager's office or the (most likely dead) employees. *-As for houses spare keys are a bit harder to find ( that is if they are there) becasue they could be in so many different places like under the rug, hidden in box somwhere or on the most likely dead owners. *Thermite - Thermite is a pyrotechnic compound which when used can melt through metal and other stuff in seconds. Thermite ins't explosive but is still very dangerous Scavenging Buildings General Scavenging Scavenging is a fairly straightforward process, but no two scavenging runs will ever be quite the same. An effective scavenging team is well-coordinated and ready to improvise. Having a plan and sticking to it will help you avoid making foolish and potentially lethal mistakes. #'Recon the area'. Learn all there is to know about the target and the surrounding area. How many exits are there? Are there any nearby buildings you can escape to if unforeseen event occur? How many floors are there? The smallest detail can save your life. It is preferable to obtain a map or blueprint of the target for study. Your main concerns should be of zombies, survivors or structural damage. #'Make a plan:' As with any mission, planning is crucial. In a group setting, this rule is doubly important. Plan out the groups now, and divide up the tasks. Decide who's going to search what parts of the building, who's going to be lookout and guard the car, and what time everyone's meeting up to go home. #'Get inside:' Getting inside can be tricky if the door is locked. Remember that if you can't go in one way, there's almost always a back door. Do not boost someone through a window to unlock the door, because then that person is trapped inside with no way out. Beware of burglar alarms, especially on large glass windows and doors. If you set off an alarm, it's best to swiftly vacate the area. #'Scavenging': Once you're inside, stay together. Avoid splitting up into groups smaller than three people. When you enter a room or area, check for zombies, then go loot. In buildings that consist of a single giant room, such as grocery stores, check the entire place before you start scavenging. In buildings made up of several small rooms, like apartments, you should secure each level before searching any rooms. When scavenging, grab everything important you can - you may not be coming back. #'Encountering Zombies': Chances are you'll come across zombies in the building. If you do, kill them before investigating, preferably quietly to prevent attracting more. If a few zombies got in, there could be more. If you find a lot of zombies, leave immediately. There's nothing worse than fighting hordes of zombies in an unfamiliar building, and no amount of loot is worth your life. On that note, if you need to escape quickly, drop your bags. They'll only slow you down. #'Leave the building': This is fairly straightforward. When you're ready, just leave the way you came in, but do so carefully as your activities may have attracted attention. It is advised to make sure everyone is accounted for at the end. Scavenging Homes Homes are a more specialized building to scavenge. They contain a multitude of different recourses that can vary vastly from house to house. Homes can be pretty hit and miss, but there a lot of them. Scavenging them yields different kinds of rewards and require slightly different steps. #'Scan the outside' of the building, looking for any signs of recent human, animal, and zombie activity. #'Get inside' the building and search every room for threats, double checking if necessary. #'Go to the pantry' and take everything that hasn’t been expired for more than a year or two. #'Head to the bedrooms' and take all the socks and underwear. Also look for microfiber and fleece pullovers, sweatshirts, sturdy boots, and any well-constructed pants. Try to avoid decorative and designer brands. Take all the blankets that you can carry. #'Make a stop in the bathrooms' for medical supplies, soap, toothpaste and other toiletries. #'Check garages and sheds' for tools and anything else that may be of use to you. If there is a vehicle then siphon the tank. Make mental notes of anything at the property that may be useful later. #'On your way out' check in: nightstands, under pillows, between mattresses, under beds and in closets for weapons and ammunition. If there is a gun safe then either take it with you or come back later with the equipment to crack it. Notes If you have a vehicle or have your safe house nearby then you can take multiple trips for more supplies Keep a journal of important locations, tabs on useful things you find, and notes on the supplies you scavenge. This can save you from forgetting potentially lifesaving recourses and from getting stolen from. Potential Scavenging Targets Although any building is worth searching, there are a few that should be considered high-priority. Bear in mind, as they are high-priority, the risk of encountering zombies and/or other survivors is drastically increased. Grocery Stores Grocery stores are, of course, the go-to place for food and cooking supplies. However, grocery stores are picked clean in the early stages of infection, and are a likely base for survivors. Items of interest: *Alcohol *Basic medical supplies *Batteries *Bottled water *Confectionery *Flashlights *Lighters *Matches *Non-perishable food *Pots and pans *Propane *Seeds *Soda *Spices *Toiletries Convenience Stores/Gas Stations Like they are today, convenience stores are a good place for quick supplies and are less targeted than Grocery Stores. However, for a much safer and more successful trip to a gas station, avoid places in the city; these stores are robbed frequently without the threat of zombies. By driving a couple miles out of town, you're much more likely to find a well-stocked gas station. Items of interest: *Alcohol *Bottled water *Beef jerky *Cigarettes *Confectionery *Energy drinks *Fuel *Juice *Junk food *Lighters *Soda *Toiletries *A gun if you're lucky Hospitals/Medical Clinics Hospitals are almost always the first places to fall in a zombie outbreak. As a result, you are guaranteed to find zombies here. An attack on a hospital is more trouble than it's worth, unless one of your party members is a skilled medical professional who knows how to make use of the equipment found there. Items of interest: *Antibiotics *Bandages *Defibrillator units *Disinfectants *Epipen *IVs *Painkillers *Protective Gloves, Eyewear *Scrubs *Surgical tools *Syringes Gun Stores Stores that sell guns. Gun stores can be a massive survival multiplier to anyone who discovers them. Be warned that these stores are commonly privately owned and are one of the first places that looters, criminals, and other survivors go to when law and order break down. Only loot after a couple days after the widespread panic. Items of interest: *Ammunition *Firearms *Firearm accessories: **Barrels **Bandoleers **Flashlights **Holsters **Magazines **Picatinny Rails **Scabbards **Scopes **Slings **Knives **Tactical vests Police Stations Regional centers of the rule of law. Police stations will be crowded by hordes of unprepared and hysteric citizens during the beginning of a zombie outbreak. If the police desert their position and these structures retain their equipment relatively intact they can be one of the most valuable recourses at your disposal. Items of interest: *Ammunition *Body armor *Duty belts *Flashlights *Handcuffs *High-end firearms **AR-15s **Handguns **Pump and semi-automatic shotguns *Knives *Magazines *“Less than lethal” weapons **Batons **Collapsible batons **Pepper spray **Tasers *SWAT equipment **Advanced body armor **Armored vehicles **Automatic rifles **Carbines **Combat shotguns **Flash bang grenades **Gas masks **Riot armor **Smoke bombs **Sniper rifles **Tear gas *Vehicles **Bicycles **Squad cars Camping Stores Camping stores provide outdoorsmen and mountaineers with the equipment necessary to survive anything from a day of hiking to several weeks of trekking through mountains and forests. They offer you everything you need for surviving in the wilderness and can greatly increase your effectiveness in rural and suburban environments. Items of interest: *Ammunition *Animal traps *Backpacks *Binoculars *Biodegradable soap *Bows/crossbows *Camping Stoves *Canteens/Water Bottles/Camelbaks *Climbing rope *Fishing Gear *Flashlights *Freeze dried food *Hammocks *Hatchets *Hiking boots *Hunting Rifles *Knives *Machetes *Mess kits *MRE's *Paracord *Propane bottles *Radios and Walkie-Talkies *Sleeping Bags *Tarps *Tents *Water purification pump *Water purification tablets *Winter clothes *Wool blankets *Wool socks Military Surplus Stores Very similar to camping stores, military surplus stores resell outdated and surplus military equipment to civilians. These stores are the closest thing the average person can get to a military supply depot. At one of these stores you can get nearly every piece of equipment a soldier carried less than ten years ago. Items of interest: *Ammo cans *Ammunition *Backpacks *Binoculars *Bullet proof/flak jackets *Canteens/camelbaks *Combat Boots *Flashlights *Folding cots *Gloves *Knives *Machetes *Magazine pouches *Mess kits *Military Clothing *MRE's *Paracord *Radios *Sleeping Bags *Tactical vests *Wool blankets Hardware Stores In a zombie apocalypse, a hardware store is a blessing and should be a priority to scavenge. It contains nearly all the supplies necessary for base modification and an abundance of tools, many with an anti-zombie capacity. Items of interest: *Materials **Bricks **Charcoal **Cement **Gasoline **Lumber **Nails **Propane **Sand **Screws **Seeds *Tools **Axes **Barbeques **Buckets **Chainsaws **Gardening tools **Hammers **Hatchets **Saws **Screw drivers **Shovels **Spades **Sledgehammers Other Potential Locations of interest: Construction sites: Fresh building material, heavy machinery, and a potential for explosives (use with caution) Equipment rental stores: May have decent supply of equipment such as chainsaws, and other things that can be used for raw materials (wires, pipes, etc.) Jewelry/watch repair shop: Usually has several small tools that are hard to find in stores. Scavenging Zombies People who were bitten and turned may still carry supplies on them. They can be scavenged when they are completely dead. The best zombies to search supplies from are fresh zombies and zombies that wears occupation uniforms. Old zombies carries mostly cards and money on them, but there is a possiblity that they carry valuable items that could be used for bartering. Occupations Doctors * Keys * Medical equitment * Medicine Farmers * Keys * Seeds * Tools Fireman * Fireman helmets * Oxygen tanks and masks * Thick and fireproof overalls * Tools Park Rangers * Ammunition * Batons * Binoculars * Firearms * Warm clothes (During winter) Police Officers * Ammunition * Ballistic/Non-Ballistic armor. * Firearms * Flashlights * Handcuffs * Non-lethal weapons. * Radios Repairman * Keys * Tools Soldiers * Ammunition * Ballistic/Non-Ballistic armor. * Explosives (C4`s and grenades) * Firearms * Flashlights * Knives * MRE´s * Radios Tips *Before entering a large building/area set a time limit, using watches, sun's position etc. It is generally best to be out before dark to prevent stumbling about in an unfamiliar place. *Although you should thoroughly check a building for activity, do NOT take your time. *Cans will keep food fresh for longer. Check the seal to see if air got in or anything has happened to it, shake it and listen for a sloshing sound. Also, keep in mind that when cans go bad, they swell. Generally, anything inside a non-swelled can is still good. *Nonperishable items should be your top priority. *Silence is golden. The noise from talking, rummaging, or dropping items can bring unwanted attention and danger. *If you plan on doing a lot of searching in a particular area, draw or find a map of it and plan where you'll go, crossing off places as you clear them. This is a handy tactic in malls or shopping centers. *Do NOT take refrigerated items unless power is still running or it's only been a few hours since the power went out. You're never going to be desperate enough to drink spoiled milk *Cooking oil has high energy per mass and can be used for fuel in place of kerosene. *High strength alcohol can be used as disinfectant, antifreeze, explosive and fuel. *Drugs in general will become extremely valuable. With no more farms, labs, or factories committed to their production, individuals with access to them will quickly become rich off of the surviving drug addicts, diabetics, the sick and people who need painkillersspelling *If you can try to spray paint a big noticeable "E" on the building meaning empty, this way you can instantly tell that there is nothing left of value or interest. Category:Food management Category:Tactics Category:Types of survivors